A New Star It was basically completely dark in the hanger but for one overhead light casting its beam down to the floor. Two figures stood facing each other in that shaft of light one a werewolf with fur of light gray, the other a werewolf of dark brown. Each wore a similar cloak of dark black with a silver winged inverted triangle and crossed swords on the right shoulder, the insignia of a Dark Knight. Both held swords of polished metal, each studied the other looking, waiting for a hint of movement to start things off. Seconds would pass like hours, then in a flurry of speed the gray werewolf struck out at his opponent. The two swords wove a pair of orbs of reflected light around the combatants. Speed and agility seemed to favor the light gray, but his advantage was negated by the greater skill of the dark brown. The dark brown moved his hands to invert his sword catching a blow from the light gray to his left side. The two held this pose the sound of metal creaking under pressure now audible in the silence. "Your skills are improving Jeffery," the dark brown werewolf remarked a grin on his face. "Thank you sir," Jeffery responded as he broke his sword away. Jeffery was just about to start in again when a voice echoed from the shadows, "Excuse me gentlemen." The dark brown wolf held up a paw hand stopping Jeffery in his tracks, Jeffery lowered his sword turning to see who had interrupted his training. A werewolf with dark black fur stepped from the shadows, clad in a brown uniform typical of an ASL officer. "Yes Alex, what is it?" the Dark Brown wolf said hiding his annoyance at the intrusion. "I'm sorry Captain, but we have a situation." Captain Jonathon held out his hand to accept the data pad Commander Alex Gerlton held out. Jonathon looked over the image on the pad his eyes snapped up to meet Alex's. "How old is this image?" Jonathon queried "Only about thirty seconds sir." "Right," Jonathon responded thinking aloud as he reviewed the image. The image showed a dark alley where a group of humans had a young female werewolf trapped. The young werewolf was hiding in behind a dumpster hoping that she wouldn't be found. As Jonathon looked at the image it updated itself from the satellite orbiting overhead, form the image displayed she would not stay hidden very long and the intentions of the gang were clear enough. "Right then this looks like a good starting point for Jeffery here. Alex you and Jeffery leave at once, standard gear should do so just cloaks and ion swords." "You haven't thought of getting back into active duty have you sir?" Alex asked a mischievous smile spread across his face." "Are you nuts? If my wife found out that I took on an active mission I wouldn't have to worry about the dangers in the field. She'd kill me instead." "You're right," Alex remarked as the trio walked to the door of the hanger and into the main hall outside, "Trisha would probably do you in on your return." Alex laughed it had been nearly a two months since Jonathon had resigned from active missions with the Dark Knights at Trisha's insistence. Alex and Jeffery stood in the transport center waiting for Jonathon to give them final instructions for the mission. Jonathon entered the room and faced the two Knights who stood ready and waiting. "Alright, for a start the use of lethal force is approved on this mission. However use it only as a last resort. Your primary goal is to protect the girl, use your presents to intimidate the humans into leaving. After that help her however you can." "Yes, sir." The two responded in unison. Alex and Jeffery transported to a pair of first floor fire escapes the lights from the transporter going on noticed from below. Alex and Jeffery looked at each other across the intervening gap. A nod from Alex spurring them to action, the two Knights leapt from their vantage points, landing almost soundlessly between the gang of humans and where the young were was still hid. The night air crackled as the Knights activated their ion swords, Alex spoke from under the hood of his cloak. "Be warned those who would harm an innocent, we are the Dark Knights, sworn to defend those who are different from the likes of you." The gang of humans drew back a step shock by the Knights arrival, and then a faint metallic click of a pistol being cocked filled the air. Alex hearing it snapped forward his sword flashing out drawing a cry of pain and shock from the lead human. The pistol he had been holding fell to the ground cut in two by Alex's strike. Again Alex spoke his voice hard, "This is your FINAL warning, if you leave now you may leave in peace and unharmed. If you stay none of you will leave this place alive." The humans deciding that discretion was the better part of valor turned and ran from the ally leaving the two Knights alone. Alex and Jeff stayed where they were swords at the ready. When it was obvious that the gang would not return they turned a dull hiss filling the air as the shut down their swords. The two turned and walked closer to the dumpster behind which the young girl was hiding. Jeff and Alex stopped while still a fair distance away so as not to startle the girl. "It's alright miss you may come out from behind there now, we mean you no harm." Alex said softly. The young girl did not move still frozen in fear. "Please miss come out from there. Look my name is Commander Alex Gerlton and my partner is Lieutenant Commander Jeffery Tunstan. We are here to help you, so please come out." Alex said pleadingly. Ever so slowly the young werewolf stood up and turned around to face these two mysterious people who had just helped get her out of a very bad situation. When she saw two figures in black cloaks, their faces covered by shadow she turned to run. "Miss, wait. Just wait a second." Alex said. Alex raised his paw hand, covered by the bottom inch of his cloak sleeve and brushed back the hood of his cloak to reveille his face. Jeffery quickly followed suit removing his hood. The young werewolf stared at the two a mixture of shock and confusion on her face. Alex could feel the tension rising like the incoming tide. "What is your name miss?" Alex asked the girl "My...Name?" "Yes, well calling you miss all the time could get a little confusing, don't you think?" The girl nodded her agreement to Alex. "My name is Erin Prior." "Well, Miss Prior, I am Clad that we could help you. Now do you have someplace safe to go for the rest of the full moon?" "Well I was going to just go home, but that might be hard to do from here now." "Not really, we can get you back to your house without being noticed if you wish." "That would be great, thanks." Erin said smiling for the first time. Alex and Jeffery walked over to where Erin was standing, as they did so Alex produced a long robe from a small pack he wore under his cloak. He handed it to Erin. "Here put this on it's quite chilly out tonight you know." It was only then that Erin noticed the cold air stirring around her and the crisp northerly breeze that found its way right through her fur, and she shivered involuntarily. Erin quickly put on the robe Alex offered her, it was very light in weight but surprisingly warm at the same time. " Thank you." "No problem, Ms Prior. Home base this is D.K one request geo. sat. update on following address. Now where is you're your house Ms. Prior?" "It's 4975 Fernhill road." "Home base update on 4975 Fernhill." Alex said in the wrist communicator that he wore. "Stand by, sir," A female voice answered, "Sir, we have that update when you're ready to copy." "Go ahead." Alex replied. "From sat two five, we have nine identified targets at that location. All are armed, weapons range from bats to pistols. Sir, be advised that location unsecured at this time and extraction to that point is not recommended." "Thank you home base, stand by for extraction orders." "Home base standing by." "Well, Erin it looks like we can't take you home after all. I am sorry, but would you care to come with us until things quiet down here?" Alex said disappointment plain in his voice. "Oh, I don't want to be any trouble to you. And you've done so enough already." Erin replied, doing her best to sound cheery. "Really Ms. Prior it's no trouble if you come back to base with us and it's sure to be much safer there than here." Jeffery chimed in. "Jeffery is right Erin you would be far safer at ASL headquarters tonight than you would here." Alex said his voice both stern and demanding but gentle at the same time. Erin looked at him gazing into his eyes as if trying to judge his character for a moment. "Alright. Where is this base of yours anyway?" Erin said finally. "ASL headquarters is on a little island out in the South Pacific, which is very well defended." Jeffery replied smiling. "Sounds very nice." Erin agreed. "Home base, D.K one request transport back to base and have Trisha there to meet our guest." "D.K one confirmed stand by for transport." Alex and Jeffery stepped in close to Erin. Erin shivered but this time not from the cold wind, which still blew. Alex looked over his shoulder at her, " this might tingle a little, but just try to stay calm." Almost as he finished speaking the two light bars of the Transport signal simmered in existence beside them, sweeping through the trio twice then blinking away into nothing. At the other end of the line the group appeared in the main transport center of ASL headquarters. And there to greet Erin where three new friendly faces, one normal person and two werewolves one a few shapes of gray lighter than the other. As the group stepped down off the pad, Alex in the lead followed by Jeffery and Erin. The young man behind the control console looked at the group his face beaming, "Welcome back Sirs, and I see we have a new guest, welcome my dear." The young man bowed slightly. The light gray were stepped forward and bowed, "Welcome young lady, I am Captain Jonathon Ford, head of this facility. I trust that Alex and Jeffery didn't startle you to much." Jonathon said as he glanced over at the two Knights. Alex and Jeff just smiled and bowed before bidding Erin farewell and leaving the room. Trisha walked over to Erin with a smile, "I'm Trisha what is your name dear?" "My name is Erin" "Well now Erin why don't you come with me and we'll get you some new clothes and set you up for the night." Trisha said kindly holding out her hand to Erin. Erin took hold of Trisha hand and Trisha lead her out into the hall leaving Jonathon and the transport operator alone. "Well done Chief." Jonathon said before he too turned to leave. Jonathon met up with Alex and Jeffery in one of the bases small briefing rooms of the main hall. "I trust their where no complications gentlemen." He said his voice a flat monotone. "No sir, not really." Alex answered "What do you mean not really?" "Well Captain one of the gang pulled a gun on us and I struck out at him. I only hit the weapon, just enough to cut it in two." "And that was the extent of the blows exchanged?" "Yes, sir." Alex and Jeffery Chorused together. "Very well then. You both did well good work, and I expect a full report from the both of you tomorrow. Dismissed Gentlemen." "Thank you sir." The two replied as they left the room. Trisha lead Erin on a tour of the base leaving out some areas such as the hangers for safety reasons. The pair made their way around the base to the base uniform outfitter, where Erin got a new clothes rather than the cloak she had been wearing to that point. One pair of clothes fit her as she was in werewolf form and the other was for tomorrow. After they had left Trisha showed Erin to the guest quarters in a slightly quieter part of the base so she would be able to get a good nights rest. "Now if you need anything just use the intercom system and ask for either myself or one of the Dark Knights. Also while you are here you are our guest so if you want take a walk around the base, some of the scenery outside is very beautiful in the daylight. Just remember to stay clear of the hangers and anyplace that you see aircraft moving about sometimes the pilots can't see you and we don't want you to get hurt. If you get lost just ask someone to help you find the guest wing and they will show you the way. Anyhow get a good nights rest and I see you in the morning." Trisha said as she and Erin sat on the bed in Erin's room. "Thanks, Trisha. You have all been really nice to me, I don't know what to say." Erin almost stammered. "I think you said just enough right there. Good night Erin." "Good night." Sleep came easily for Erin at first, but soon she began to toss and turning her bed. The images of the alley and would might have been running through her mind. Jonathon stood leaning over a young woman's shoulder gazing down at a display panel. The display showed an image of a small island as viewed from a satellite. Jonathon pointed at a small part of the island and the woman who was operating the display clicked over the area to enlarge it. The expanded view filled the screen a little blurry at first, but as the optics on the orbiting satellite worked the image cleared to reveal remarkable detail. One could clearly see the leaves of the trees moving in the gentle breeze that swept the island. Jonathon looked at the screen intently for a moment as if trying to locate something. "There." Jonathon remarked, pointing to a spot on the screen. The operator clicked on the spot and the imaged zoomed in to reveal a small white object. "Can you get any tighter on that?" "Yes sir," replied the operator as she clicked on the object, "How's that." The image cleared to show a golf ball resting in the sand the words Top Flite XL 3000 clearly visible. "Yes, that will do nicely Amanda. Ok, bring the Sat. Strike system online." "Sat. strike powering up. What target sir?" "Give it just enough to split that ball in two." Jonathon replied almost blankly. "Yes sir, system ready, target locked. Awaiting your order." "Fire." A bright flash emanated from the screen after Amanda pressed the fire command. The image on the screen cleared again and the golf ball lay in small hole, a black rent down one side. Jonathon sighed, "Damn, those targeting scanners are still out of alignment. Oh well good work Amanda. Power down the system and get someone to help you with realigning that targeting system." "Yes sir." Amanda said a hint of disappointment in her voice. Amanda and her team had been work on the Satellite Strike system for nearly a month. After each test they had a new problem showed up, they just had to get the targeting accuracy down to a fiftieth of an inch and it was driving her mad. "Look Amanda, I don't need the accuracy down to the final value this time. You and your team have been doing well to reduce the error to what it is in the last month, and I know that you'll get there before the system needs to be operational." Jonathon smiled. He knew that the lieutenant was under a lot of stress to get the system ready in the two and half months that the high council had allocated. Amanda returned the smile before turning back to her station and dawning her headset to call her crew. Jonathon looked at his watch as he walked down the main corridor between the Sat. Comm. building and the guest quarters. Five thirty, the sun would be rising in another ten minutes and he still had to wake their quest Erin and get back to his own quarters. Jonathon stopped at the door to Erin's quarters, pressed the doorbell and waited. Inside the soft chime of the doorbell woke Erin from her dream. Erin Sat up with a start, she was covered in sweat from the nightmare she'd been having. The chime sounded again, "Just a minute." Erin said getting out of bed and pulling on the robe she'd been given. "Who is and why are you here at five thirty in the morning?" Erin snarled as she stumbled towards the door. "It's Captain Ford Ms. Prior and I'm here to let you know that it will be sunrise soon. I just thought you should know." Erin woke up almost instantly. She pressed the button to open the door and Jonathon stepped inside. "I'm sorry Captain, but I wasn't expecting a wakeup call from you." Erin apologized. "No, it's my fault I should have told you last night that all the werewolves on base get a call just before sunrise. And my name is Jonathon only the officers of the base call me captain," Jonathon remarked cheerfully, "Anyway it will be dawn soon, after the sun is up I was wondering if you would do me the honor of joining Trisha and I for breakfast." "That would be great, Jonathon. Where will I meet you?" "Trisha and I will come to get you at six thirty, so will have time to have a nice hot shower and get ready." "Great, I'll see you then." With that Jonathon left the room the door sliding shut behind him with a soft hiss. Jonathon had to nearly sprint back to his quarters to beat the fast rising sun. The door to his quarters had barely closed behind him as he threw of his shirt and began to remove his pants. He could already feel the burning deep within his skin spreading slowly outward through his body. He collapsed onto the floor gasping as his body reverted to it's normal self. The gray fur that covered him was slowly retreating back into his skin. His bones and muscles ached as they reshaped themselves back to a human form. His tail began to disappear into his lower back causing, Jonathon to arch his back in pain. His face also was losing its wolfish appearance, his nose and mouth flattening out and his sharp teeth becoming duller. His ears shifted back down to the side of his head more and regained their rounded shape. Finally it was over and he got unsteadily to his feet before making his way over to the bathroom. Where Trisha was lying on the floor squirming as her change neared its end. Jonathon helped her to her feet after the change had run its course. The two held each other for a while just to be together, and then Jonathon reached over and turned in the water in the shower. Trisha smiled it wasn't very often that she and Jonathon got to shower together. In fact they only still saw about as much of each other now that Trisha had joined the ASL as they ever did before. After Jonathon and Trisha finished showering, Trisha set to work on brushing out her long brown hair and Jonathon got dressed. "I asked Erin to join us for breakfast this morning." Jonathon said as he finished tucking in his shirt. "And she accepted?" Trisha replied not missing a brush stroke. "Yes, she did." "Good it's nice to see someone new around here even if it's only for a short time." "It is isn't it? Anyway we have to go get her in about fifteen minutes so you finish getting dressed and I'll look over the mornings activity reports so we don't get disturbed later." "Ok." Trisha replied absently. Jonathon leaned over her shoulder and kissed her cheek before turning and walk into the study. In the study Jonathon as down at his desk and picked up one of the data pads from a small pile. He scanned down the list of activities that were to take place during the morning, he paused at the heading Flight Training and read the list of flights one in particular caught his attention. Bravo squadron ships two to eight departure oh six forty-five. "That would be right," he thought, "the start of a nice quiet breakfast spoiled by a seven ship departure." Jonathon sighed. Jonathon finished looking at the rest of the roster and marked on the pad that it had been checked. Jonathon sat back in his chair looking at a blank space on the far wall, his mind wandering slightly. A voice brought him back to reality, "Jonathon you ready to go?" Trisha asked standing in the study doorway. Jonathon rocked out of his chair and walked over to her they kissed in the doorway before turning to leave and pick up their guest for the day. Erin heard the doorbell chime as she was finishing tying her hair back. "Just a second." she said louder than normal to be heard through the door. Erin looked at herself in the mirror of the nightstand. She looked stunning in the light brown if an ASL officers uniform, the silver on black insignia patch on her left shoulder. "I could get used to wearing this," she though. Erin strode over to the door and pressed the button to open it, the door obeyed sliding open with a gentle hiss. Jonathon and Trisha stood in the corridor waiting. "Ready to go?" Jonathon asked pleasantly. "Absolutely," Erin responded, "where are we going for breakfast anyway?" "Oh, I thought we'd have breakfast in the lookout station on top of Knights Peak. It's only a short walk and quick elevator ride from here and the view in remarkable." Trisha said. Jonathon nodded his head in agreement. Although in the back of his mind he couldn't help but think of the training flight that would depart just as they started their meal. As the group walked through the clear Plexiglas tunnel from the main buildings the elevator the sounds and smells of the surrounding rainforest drifted through the air vents. The only sound to break the silence as they walked was that of their own footfalls on the hard polished floor. From the corner of her eye Erin caught a hint over movement in the trees surrounding the tunnel and stopped mid stride. She turned and moved slowly over to the wall of the tunnel, Jonathon and Trisha stopped and followed suit. Erin stood for a moment looking intently at the area she had seen the movement, for a few seconds she saw nothing then slowly a shape emerged from the brush. Jonathon and Trisha hadn't noticed the motion that Erin had seen, but they both smiled when they too spied the sandy brown and black spotted fur of a jaguar moving through the undergrowth. The cat paused for a moment its deep entrancing amber eyes fixed on the trio behind the glass. The animal blinked then its pink tongue flick out licking the whiskers on the right side of its face. Then like a flash of an exploding light bulb the cat vanished leaping into one of the many trees in search of its own breakfast. Jonathon leaned back folding his arms across his chest, Erin had a keen eye he thought. "I think that was Lonyx." Jonathon said. Erin looked at him blankly for a moment and Jonathon explained further. "There are about a dozen jaguars on the island, that's why we have these passages," Jonathon said waving an arm in a sweep of the tunnel, "And like a persons finger prints a jaguars spots are unique. We know most of the animals on the island and the jaguars help us keep some of the other animals out of the way. Trisha was the one who took to naming all of our big cats. She studied all the pictures from the remote cameras that are on the island and came up with the names. And I think that cat was Lonyx." "You know I think you are right that was Lonyx, I haven't seen him for a long time." Trisha replied. The trio finally pried themselves away from the glass wall and continued the last few yards to the waiting elevator. When they reached the door Jonathon pulled a pass card from his left shirt pocket and slid it through the reader beside the door. The LED on the indicator blinked from red to green and the elevator arrival tone sounded as the doors slid open. The small group boarded the elevator for the short trip up the inside of the small mountain to the lookout post at its peak. As the elevator ascended Erin turned to Trisha, "So you named all of the jaguars on the island?" "Well all the ones that we know about anyway, but there are probably more of them out there somewhere." Trisha replied smiling. The elevator seemed to take no time at all to reach the top of its climb and the doors slide open it time with the arrival tone. As the group stepped out into the lookout station, empty for the time being so to the fact that it was in between shifts, Erin was taken away by the three hundred and sixty degree view that the vantage offered. Down one side of the slope the main buildings of the base where barely visible through the dense green rainforest canopy, only two things stood apart from the pristine beauty of the area. One was a radio tower with its small dishes and antennas pointed out in all directions and angles. The other was a small area, which had been mostly cleared except for some undergrowth and fenced off containing three fairly large satellite dishes. Down the other side of the mountain where the two large runways on the island, together with the taxiways that lead to the bases multiple hanger areas hidden back inside the bottom of the mountain. Erin noticed the group of aircraft that where assembled near the threshold of one runway. "What are those?" she queried looking at Jonathon. Jonathon walked over to the window at which Erin was standing, "Those are AR-3 star fighters, and that is part of the Bravo training squadron. They are just about to depart for a morning exercise." He replied. Erin, Trisha, and Jonathon watched as the seven fighters lined up on the runway in two groups, a front group of three and a rear group of four. Slowly the aircraft started to roll down the runway, slowly at first then gathering speed, as the first group reached the midpoint of the runway the pilots carefully raised the nose of their ships. The aircraft sat there nose wheels clear of the ground main gear still planted on the runway for a hundred yards or so, then with all the grace of a dancer the aircraft became airborne. The soft rumble of the powerful engines with the sound of far off thunder penetrated the walls of the lookout post. The rumble grew as the ships approached in a shallow climb slow enough for the rear group to catch up and the seven ships close up in formation. As all the ships joined up they retracted their landing gear. The ships climbed slowly at first then with a precision born of long practice the aircraft pitched nose up one after another into a near vertical climb passing within what seemed like a few feet of the lookout station. Erin leaned into the slightly domed window to get a better view of the departing fighters. The engine exhausts glowing blue with the heat and flame from the afterburners as the ships tore skyward. The noise of the engines faded into silence that was soon broken by a series of soft low double thuds marking the passing of the sound barrier. "That was amazing. I've never seen aircraft that can do that before." Erin remarked awed by the power of these training aircraft. "And unless they are our ships, you never will again. The AR type fighters are the only ones that can make that sort of departure," Jonathon replied a soft smile on his face, "well now that the show is over lets eat and enjoy the lovely view from up here." Jonathon walked over to a wall panel and pressed a few buttons, the panel lit up and a voice asked for an order. Jonathon turned to his companions, "So what would you like Erin?" Erin thought for a moment looking out the corner of her eye. "I think I'll have poached eggs and ham with toast please." She said finally "Ok," Jonathon replied entering the request, "and for you Trisha?" Trisha smiled, "I'll have my usual." "Done," Jonathon, replied smiling back as he entered Trisha's order along with his own, "and another French toast for me." After a moment to process everything a door next to the panel slide open and Jonathon reached in to produce a tray, which bore what they had ordered. Jonathon set the tray down on the table and smiled at Erin who had a shocked look on her face. "That's something that you'll only find here as well." Jonathon moved around the table to his seat opposite Trisha sliding into the chair. The group began their breakfast surrounded by the vista of rainforest, which rolled as a sea of green below them with the deep turquoise of the Pacific behind. As the three proceeded with their food they talked idly about the ASL. Erin was full of questions, how big is the group, who controls it, and so on. Jonathon and Trisha answered her as best they could without giving away any classified information. "Would it be possible for me to stay here a little longer?" Erin asked looking in turn at Jonathon and Trisha. Jonathon choked mid swallow then cleared his throat, "I'm sorry. I forgot to explain this last night. You are a guest of the ASL and more specifically the Dark Knights, you are welcome to stay as long as you need to for things to return to normal back in your home town." Trisha just nodded her head in agreement with what her love had said. "You can stay as long as you wish my dear." Trisha added. Erin beamed at the remarks of her two companions, it had been a long time since anyone had shone her this much compassion. The trio finished their meal in silence, but the smile never faded from Erin's face. Here at last she found someplace she would be accepted for what she was, someplace where she didn't have to pretend anymore. Jonathon and Trisha just finished clearing the table when the elevator arrival chime rang. Both looked over their shoulders to see the day shift lookouts step off the elevator. The lookout crew, a pair of lieutenants and an ensign stopped just clear of the elevator doors and saluted the captain. Jonathon, both his hands preoccupied at the time simply bowed his head slightly in acknowledgement, before returning to clearing the remains of breakfast from the table. The lookouts nodded to Erin who was still seated at the table, Erin returned the gesture drawing smiles from the three new arrivals. When all was done Jonathon, Trisha, and Erin boarded the Elevator for the ride down leaving the lookouts to their duties. The group made their way back through the rain forest tunnel to the main complex. As the three reached a junction in the corridors, Jonathon stopped Erin and Trisha took a couple of steps before stopping as well. "Well I'll see you ladies later. Feel free to look around the base Erin, just remember to stay out of the hangers." Jonathon said smiling. As the two women turned to leave Jonathon shoot out his hand grabbing Trisha by the arm, he pulled her to him before giving her a kiss. "I'll see you later tonight dear. Have a good day." He said. "See you tonight, have a good sleep." Trisha replied before turning back to Erin and walking off down the hall. Jonathon turned and walked down the corridor to his quarters and for the first time in the last twenty-four hours or so he felt tired. As he reached his quarters Jonathon was feeling the effects of being awake for two transformations and his normal eleven-hour duty shift. He slumped down on the bed and began to untie his boots. They were always stubborn after a shift, but this time he really struggled with them. After what seemed like an eternity of working the knots, only a minute or two in actual fact, he successfully managed to get them both off. Jonathon then set to work on his pants removing the double clasp belt and unbuttoning them. He stood as he unzipped them then he let gravity take over as they slide to the floor. Jonathon bent over to pick them up now, having trouble even keeping his eyes open, he laid them folded in half on the back of a chair which stood next to the nightstand. Jonathon's hands were almost on autopilot as they work the buttons of his light tan uniform shirt. He again set it neatly on the back of the chair, before pulling back the covers of the bed and nearly flopping onto it. Jonathon pulled the covers over himself and drifted off into a deep sleep. Erin and Trisha roamed the base for a while, not really going anywhere in particular. "So where did Jonathon go to?" Erin asked as the two rounded a corner into a rainforest tunnel. "He went back home. He was on duty last night, and so he went home to get some rest." Trisha replied. "Oh, so you two live here or somewhere else." "Both actually. We have quarters here and a home back in the 'normal' world, so we live here some of the time and there for the rest." "Sounds like fun. How did you get involved with this thing anyway?" "Well a couple of months ago Jonathon and I where dating and we were having a great time one day, and I lost track of the time. I changed right in front of him. He was so understanding, he didn't say anything he just sat there and held me. Later that night he showed me his little secret about all this. And I was a bit shocked at first, but no more than he must have been. So we just accepted that what was, was and left it at that." "You two have a great relationship," Erin remarked smiling, "I wish I was that lucky. Was it you that changed him or one of the others?" Trisha blushed at the question and Erin regretted asking but Trisha answered her, "Yes, I changed him. He was badly injured in an accident aboard the fighter he was flying at the time. He nearly didn't make it, but he pulled through in the end. He was still in the base hospital when he asked me. After that he gave up his role as head of the fighter squadron and his position as an active Dark Knight to be with me." Trisha finished holding back a tear. "Like I said, he must really love you." Erin said softly. Trisha nodded. "Yes he does." The day passed quickly for Erin, Trisha had walked with her for a while but then had to be about her own duties. Erin walked the hallways of the base looking in at the people going about their daily routine. Erin stopped and talked to some officers who where on a break about life in the ASL, she listened as they talked of the things they had seen and done. Most of it was pretty ordinary stuff, but some of their comments where to say the least hard to believe. Erin thanked the two for sharing with her and continued on her way. As she walked and talked with various people she began to realize that everyone who was on the base and in the ASL genuinely loved what they did, from the chef in the mess hall to the two Dark Knights that she talked to in one of the many corridors. Erin was starring out at the rainforest from one of the many clear tunnels that crisscrossed it, when a somehow familiar voice spoke up from behind her, "Clad to see you up and around Ms. Prior." The voice said. Erin straightened up instinctively, she hadn't heard anyone approaching. She turned around to find a young man wearing a dark black cloak smiling at her. She hesitated for a moment then returned his smile still unsure of whom it was. "I'm sorry if I startled you," he said, "old habit of being silent I suppose. But just the same I'm clad that you are up and about." "Do I know you?" Erin asked still a little unsure. "We met last night, but you probably don't recognize me like this. I'm Lieutenant Commander Jeffery Tunstan, it was Alex and I that brought you here yesterday." Erin smile widened, "Of course, but you look so different during the day. And why aren't you off duty like Jonathon?" "Well," Jeffery began, " I was just about to go off duty last night when Alex interrupted my training session with the Captain to go and rescue you. So after we left you in the transport center I went off duty and got to bed early." "So where are you off to now?" Erin asked Jeffery smiled, "Well I was just going for a jog around the rainforest circuit, but I'd settle for a walk if you will join me." Jeffery extended his hand towards Erin. Erin beamed a smile at him and took the hand he offered. The two walked slowly around the tunnels in the rainforest, Jeffery pointing out some of the different plants and animals as they went. Erin asked him about what it was like being a Dark Knight. Jeffery told her about all the training and hard work involved, but he made sure to point out that it had some very good things as well. Jeffery told her about training on the moon at base one and how the earth just never quite seemed to set below the horizon. He talked about how he became a werewolf out there and what it was like being in werewolf form all the time. Erin nodded and listened intently to all he said, all the while her mind worked over what she had heard again and again that day about this group of people. Jeffery finally finished and Erin was able to ask him some more questions. "I can't believe that Alex was the one who changed you," Erin remarked, "He just doesn't seem like the type who would do that to someone he worked with." "Well I think it was as much my fault as his," Jeffery said, "We where really going at it that time in training and I made some remark about his being slow or something and the next thing I knew I was on the floor with a set of teeth marks in my arm. Alex tried to apologize but what was done was done and I had to live with it." "That sounds terrible." Erin remarked. "Oh, I did seriously resent him for awhile. But after some time had passed and I had learned to control my new feelings and abilities I got over it and we've been good friends ever since." Erin smiled. She was really beginning to enjoy Jeffery's company. In the deep shade of the rainforest canopy the two had barely noticed that the sun was beginning to set on the western horizon. An animated voice came from one of the overhead loud speakers, "Attention all base personnel moon rise in ten minutes." Jeffery looked at his watch and sure enough it was nearly time. He looked at Erin and smiled, "We had better be getting back to our quarters. Come on I'll walk you back." Erin smiled and nodded taking Jeff's hand as they walked back to her quarters. In almost no time they where standing outside her door, Jeffery looked at her, "After the moon is up I'm transferring back to base one and I was kind of hoping you might want to come with me." "I'd be delighted, but will Jonathon allow it?" Erin remarked questioningly. "I'll talk to him when he gets on duty, but I don't think he'll mind." "Ok then, see ya later." "Bye" Jeffery had to run back to his own quarters to beat the moon's rise above the horizon, but he made it with just enough time to get undressed before the change began to effect him. It took only a few minutes for the change to run its course, when it had finished Jeffery picked himself up off the floor and shook himself off. Jeffery walked over to his closet and pulled out his Knights uniform of dark black. He dressed quickly because he wanted to catch Jonathon before he got on duty. Jonathon had been sleeping peacefully until the computer woke him with the ten minutes to moon rise call. After he was out of bed he too went over to his closet and pulled out his uniform for the night. Jonathon laid his uniform on the end of the bed before moving to his study to review some of the day's reports. Jonathon was sitting behind his desk drinking a cup of coffee when the beginning of the change saw him double over and half fall, half slide out of his chair onto the floor. After the change had finished Jonathon reached up taking hold of his desk and pulling himself back up into his chair, his sharp claws putting a fresh set of scratch marks in the desk top. Jonathon finished reading the reports and finished his coffee before returning to his bed to get dressed. Jonathon was just finishing treading his belt when Trisha walked in, just coming off duty herself. They both smiled as their eyes met, it didn't matter how many times they saw each other the sight of the other standing there in werewolf form always brought a smile to their faces. Jonathon dawned his cap before moving over to where Trisha was standing and pulled her to him in a loving embrace. Their lips met in a kiss before either could say a word. Jonathon broke the kiss. "I'll try not to be to late this evening my love." He said taking a half step back as he said it. "I'll be waiting." Trisha said a grin spread across her face. Jonathon smiled as he pressed the door release button while still facing Trisha before turning and walking through the door in the corridor outside. Jonathon was making his way to the Sat. strike command center when Jeffery caught him at a junction of two corridors. The two walked together talking over the nights planned activities. "So you're transferring back to base one for a couple day I hear." Jonathon said as they walked. Jeffery nearly blushed at the comment, but he cleared his throat. "Actually sir that's something that I wanted to talk to you about." "Oh, what's the trouble? Having second thoughts about going back. Or is it something else?" Jonathon enquired. "Well no it's just that, I was hoping." Jonathon cut him off with a wave of his hand. "You where wondering if you could take Erin with you, right." "Yes that right, but how did you know?" Jeffery asked a little confused. Jonathon laughed, "I may have settled down with Trisha, but I'm not blind I've seen the way you look at her and the way she looks at you. So yes by all means she can go with you. Just make sure that she understands that at base one she'll be in werewolf form all the time." "Yes sir, thank you sir." Jeffery replied his features split by a broad smile. They two reached the corridor that lead to the guest quarters and stopped. Jonathon reached out and placed a hand on Jeffery's shoulder, "Remember all this is still new to her so be there when she needs you. Now get going and tell her so you're not late." Jonathon smiled as Jeffery saluted him, he returned the gesture before Jeffery turned and walked a little quicker than normal down the corridor. Jeffery rang the doorbell of Erin's quarters and waited. Erin was finishing brushing the fur of her tail and head when the door chime sounded. She nearly jumped up and hurried over to the door pressing the door release button. Jeffery smiled as the door slid open with a low hiss, he stepped through the door and right into the arms of Erin. They hugged each other tightly for a moment before Jeffery stepped back slightly a wide smile on his face. "He said yes." Jeffery said. "That's great so when do we leave." Erin said smiling as well. Jeffery looked at his watch, "In about a half hour so pack overnight bag and we'll head down to the transport center." Erin proceeded to quickly pack for the trip and in twenty minutes the two where walking down the corridor to the transport center. When they arrived they where greeted by transport chief Lieutenant Carman, who was on temporary assignment to headquarters from the SD Tiberian. "Good evening Commander, and who is your companion this beautiful night?" Carman asked smiling as he always did. "Erin this is Lieutenant Carman the ASL's chief of transport operations. Chief this is Erin Prior a guest of the Dark Knights." "A pleasure to meet you Ms. Prior. Now then where can I send you this evening?" Carman asked. "Direct to base one thanks chief." Jeffery said as he and Erin stepped up onto the transport pad. "Ok, just stand by one second," The chief said as he quickly configured the control console for the task, "Transporting you now." With that Carman double tapped a lit button on the panel. The parallel light bars of the transport system sprang up either side of the two standing on the pad sweeping through them twice before blinking back out of existence. At the transport center of base one the parallel light bars appeared making the familiar double sweep of the pads before blinking out in their place stood Jeffery and Erin. Jeffery led Erin out of the transport complex to the observation tower for one of the bases many landing pads. When they arrived the blast shields were down covering the massive Plexiglas windows of the tower, Jeffery knew from the posted schedule that no one was due to depart from that pad any time soon. He looked at Erin with a large grin, "I want to show you what is probably the best view in this part of the galaxy." Erin smiled back not knowing what to expect. Jeffery lifted the plastic guard covering the switch to raise the shielding and flipped the toggle up. A loud double blast siren sounded and a red light flashed briefly. Then slowly the heavy shield plates began to lift, as the gap between the bottom windowsill and the bottom of the shield increased the landing pad below the tower was revealed its double elevator doors closed of the time being. Slowly the lunar landscape came into view, tall jagged mountains framing the scene. Between the mountains a wide plain stretched away from them to the distant horizon, and sitting there above the horizon framed in the black cold of space shone the blue and green of earth the masses of cloud visible even from here. Erin stood in awe her jaw fell open never had she seen anything so beautiful to behold as the view of her home from the moon. Erin spun round to hug Jeffery catching him off guard and nearly sending both of them tumbling to the floor. Jeffery managed to recover his balance leaning against a control console. Erin pulled Jeffery to her and gave him a deep passionate kiss, which he was only too happy to return. They stayed there for what could have been hours, but was only minutes really. A moving shadow caught Jeffery's attention from the corner of his eye. Jeffery broke the kiss and pointed out the window at the growing shadow. The two leaned into the window trying to get a better view, as they did the pointed bow of a massive ship came into view. The ship moved slowly but with a grace and elegance that belied its size and power. This ship nearly a mile long and a quarter mile wide at the widest point was a sight to behold. As the ship continued to pass overhead a large set of doors in the belly of the ship opened and several smaller ships appeared out of the hanger deck. The undersides of these smaller ships where lit by what appeared to be four torches, in fact the vertical thrusters controlling their descent. The small ships seemed to almost float to the ground before each touched down softly on a landing pad. After each ship had touched down four amber rotating lights came on at the corners of each occupied landing pad, as the pad elevators began to retract taking the ships and their crew's below into the base hangers. "What was that?" Erin asked still a little dumfounded. "That is the Tiberian, she just returned from a supply run the bases two and three and she's just dropped off her fighter escorts before heading around to the space dock." Jeffery replied. Jeffery reset the toggle switch for the blast shields closing them down again, and then he and Erin left the tower. Jeffery took Erin on a tour of the base showing her where their quarters were and some of the best spots to stop and just sit back and relax. Jeffery was just showing Erin around their quarters when his wrist comm. beeped at him, Jeffery answered it, "Yes what is it?" he said smoothly. "Sorry to interrupt you sir," a female voice replied, "but you're wanted at the comm. center right away." "Alright I'll be there in a minute," Jeffery closed the comm. link and turned to Erin, " Duty call my dear. I'll be back as soon as I can." With that Jeffery turned and left the room. Jeffery hurried down the hallway toward the base communication center, he stopped at the security door leading into the center. Jeffery removed a small card from his shirts right pocket and slid it down the reader next to the door. The light on the reader flashed twice then changed color to green and with a beep the door slid open. Jeffery entered the main communications hub for the ASL and was greeted by a young ensign. The young man smiled up at the werewolf standing in front of him, "Good evening Commander," the ensign said, "Sir Captain Ford back at HQ wants to speak to you, he said it was rather important." "Thanks Doug, I'll get him from briefing room two." Jeffery said returning the young man's smile with his own toothy grin. "Yes sir, I'll transfer him to briefing room two for you. The connection will be ready by the time you get there." The young ensign turned and headed off down a row of officers looking at different screens each wearing a headset and boom mic. Jeffery walked down a short hall to a set of doors and opened the one-labeled "Briefing Two". Jeffery closed the door behind him and sat down in a chair at the head of the table that took up the center of the room. He pressed a button on a console that was inlayed into the table, bringing a screen on the end wall to life. The screen displayed the ASL Dark Knights emblem before blinking for a second and displaying a video image of Jonathon. "Glad to see that you arrived safely Jeffery." Jonathon said over the speakers in the room. "That you Captain. Now what can I do to help you?" Jeffery replied with a slight nod of his head. "Well Jeffery it seems that we have a situation brewing. The AR-9 star fighter Echo Seven was out on a routine patrol mission when he suffered a meteor strike to the aft inboard section of his left wing and is limping home. Now he was supposed to be coming into headquarters here for repairs, but we have since lost contact with the pilot. Approach control up there is still tracking him and he appears to be diverting to base one. We hope that his short-range comm. system is still functional and you should be able to make contact with him in about an hour, if that is the case. Once you make contact with him find out if his vertical landing system is still operational, if it's not you will have to set up the E.M. barriers at the end of the runway for a normal landing. Once he is on the ground get a team together and find out how that meteor got through the ships sensor net." "Yes sir, I set up the team right away and get to work on the barriers. Was there anything else Captain?" Jeffery replied coolly. "Yes actually, now that you mention it there is one more thing I need to ask you." "Go ahead sir." "How did Erin enjoy the trip up and has she settled in yet?" Jeffery blushed slightly under his fur working hard not to show any emotion at that point. "I think she enjoyed the trip up here and she has settled into our quarters here just fine sir." Jonathon smiled, "Glad to hear it Jeffery, now remember find out how this accident occurred and for God's sake find some time to spend with that girl." "You can count on it sir." Jeffery said back trying hard and barely succeeding in suppressing a laugh. With Jeffery's closing remark the screen blink back to the ASL emblem again and Jeffery turned it off from his seat before rising and leaving the room. Back in the main part of the comm. center Jeffery found Ensign Douglas leaning over a tracking monitor. "Ensign what's the status on Echo seven?" Douglas hadn't heard Jeffery come up behind him and so he jumped slightly in surprise. He spun around as if on a swivel to face Jeffery. "Sir I didn't hear you come back." Douglas said, his heart rate returning to normal. "Echo seven is just approaching transition point Delta now, if he intends to land here we can expect him to come out of slipstream at transition point Alpha. He should be there in about twenty minutes at his present speed." Douglas said. "Very good. Get onto the hanger staff in hanger three get them to activate the E.M. barriers at the end of the main runway and get the approach and runway lights on." Jeffery instructed. The young ensign nodded and started off down the building to contact all the necessary personnel for the tasks given him. Jeffery smiled to himself as he watched the ensign's retreating back, "That boy is such a good young man, he'll make a great Dark Knight one of these days." Jeffery thought. Jeffery was listening on a remote headset as he gazed intently at the approach sensor display, Echo seven had dropped out of slipstream at transition point Alpha as expected. But they still had no radio contact with him as he approached. "Try him again." Jeffery said into his mic. "Yes sir," A woman's voice answered, "Echo seven, Echo seven this is ASL approach base one come in." Only static answered the call. Then an unusual crackle sounded in the headsets of those listening, only for a second, then again and again until finally a voice could be heard barely audible over the background noise but growing in strength every second. "ASL approach, ASL approach this is Echo seven do you read?" The voice sounded strained and anxious slightly. "Echo seven this is ASL approach reading you loud and clear. Report your status and intentions." The lady approach controller said. "Echo seven, engines one and two are off-line. We have sustained serious damage to the left wing, but the structure is holding. Requesting priority approach at base one." The pilot replied. Jeffery let his head slump forward to his chest his hand rubbing the bottom of his muzzle thoughtfully. Jeffery looked over to a tall slightly older man and nodded his head. The man nodded back and leaned forward pressing a lighted button on the panel in front of him, "Echo seven, this is Lieutenant Andrew Soren head of approach control base one, your priority one approach is approved. Can you make a vertical approach or do you require a runway?" Andrew said in a cool flat tone that only comes with experience. "Echo seven, negative on the vertical approach. My vertical landing system was damaged by the impact." "Copy that, main runway is clear of all traffic and approach lights are on. You are cleared for the approach and cleared to land." Andrew said trying to build confidence in the pilot. "Cleared approach and clear to land, Echo seven." The pilot said his tone a little more upbeat now than it had been. Jeffery reached forward and pushed the lit transmit button on the console in front of him. "Echo seven this is Commander Jeffery Tunstan, keep your speed up as high as you need to maintain good control the E.M barriers are online so don't worry about runway length we'll stop you in time." "Roger that sir." The Echo pilot replied. Jeffery left the comm. center and quickly mounted the three flights of stairs to the tower on top of the building. He seized a pair of infrared binoculars from the bench and looked out to where the ship should be. It took a moment to focus the glasses, but Jeffery eventually spotted the fighter as it turned onto a long final approach. Jeffery quickly turned off the infrared system of the binoculars as the pilot switched on two very powerful landing lights. Even with the wing still in shadow Jeffery could make out a thin trail of vapor flowing from the gash in the hull. The pilot made a beautiful touchdown smoke rising from the tires as they spun up. A set of vents opened on top of the ship as it sped down the runway, cool blue flames showed the reverse thrust being applied to aid in stopping. The fighter slowed as it neared the end of the runway and under normal circumstances the ship would have over ran the end of the strip, however this time there was an orange flash as the ship struck the invisible electro-magnetic barrier that crossed the runway. The effect was almost instant as the ships speed dropped dramatically. As the ship stopped the barrier released its hold on the vessel and the pilot turned off the runway making his way over to the elevator down to the hanger bay. The pilot stopped on the elevator platform and shut down his engines as the platform slowly began its descent into the heart of the base. By the time the elevator reached the floor of the hanger a tug was waiting to tow the damaged ship over to maintenance and the staff of the hanger and most of the surrounding area where standing around applauding the pilot's efforts to bring his ship and himself home again. As the tug pulled the ship into the maintenance bay Jeffery stepped from a doorway and began striding across to the ship. Jeffery walked under the right wing of the craft reaching up and running his hand along the cool surface as he walked. Jeffery rounded the back of the ship to the left side reaching the main access door just as the pilot opened it from the inside. Jeffery stopped and looked at the pilot as he jumped down from the doorway of his ship, normally there would have been a ramp there but it to had been damaged and so failed to extend. "Well done on getting this thing back here in one piece." Jeffery said. The pilot smiled removing his hat and placing it under his arm before saluting the commander. "Thank you sir, she was a bit of a handful but we made it." He said cheerfully. "Well go get cleaned up and then get some rest, you've earned it today. Just have a report ready form me by end of duty tomorrow." "Yes sir." The pilot said before walking from the hanger. Jeffery walked over to the head maintenance engineer, "Check over the senor systems in full do a complete diagnostic if you have to, but I want to know how this happened." The engineer nodded his head and signaled for the rest of his team to get to work. Jeffery finally was able to log off for the day, leaving the investigation in the hands of those who knew the individual systems the best and return to his quarters. When he arrived the living room was empty as was the bedroom, but the sight of a uniform folded on the bed and the soft sound of running water gave away where Erin was. Jeffery decided to wait until Erin had finished in the shower before making himself known. So in the mean time he sat down at his computer and got a head start on the report of the Echo seven incident for Captain Ford. Jeffery was so engrossed in writing his report that he never heard the water from the shower stop nor did he notice that Erin had walked up behind him. Erin stood silently reading the report as Jeffery typed away, it was until she leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek that he noticed her presents. Jeffery nearly jumped out of his skin from shock when Erin kissed him, he spun around in the chair quickly catching his tail on the side of his desk as he did so. "How long have you been standing there?" He asked still in shock. Erin just smiled, "Oh long enough to see that you've had a very eventful day." Jeffery smiled in return, "Yes it has been interesting, but it just keeps getting better. Now that you're here." Jeffery's smile soon faded as he began to feel the throbbing in the base of his tail from smacking it into his desk. Erin looked at him and grimaced, "Well not much we can do about that, but come to bed and I'll take your mind off that tail of yours." Jeffery grinned widely, he had hoped she might say something like that. Jeffery rose from his chair being careful not to hit his sore tail on the chair's backrest as he got up. The two walked hand in hand to the bedroom, when the pair got to the foot of the bed Erin tackled Jeffery to the bed with surprising speed and agility. They landed with a soft thud on the sheets, "Now lets play my way." Erin teased removing her shirt in one fluid motion. Jeffery quickly followed suit and it was long before the two where rolling around under the covers. Erin did indeed take his mind off the slight pain in his tail and after a few hours the two where sound asleep wrapped in each other's arms in a bed that looked as if a hurricane had struck. A low double chime sounded repeatedly waking Jeffery from his peaceful sleep, he reached over and picked up his wrist comm. from the nightstand tapping a small icon at the top to activate it. "Tunstan here." He said sleepily. "Sorry to disturb you commander," a young man's voice replied, "but the engineers have finished with the sensors on Echo seven and want you to take a look at the findings sir." "Alright I'll be there in an hour." Jeffery said trying to dispel the last shades of sleep from his mind. "Yes sir, I'll let them know." The voice said before the comm. line beeped closed. Jeffery rolled over and gently kissed Erin on the cheek as she lay in bed. She stirred and kissed him in return. Jeffery slid out of bed and stood stretching as he did so, his muscles stiff from the workout Erin had given them. Jeffery's fur was a mess matted and tangled with sweet. Jeffery walked around the bed toward the bathroom to have a shower before heading off, he hadn't got past Erin's chest when he felt a hand grad him by the tail. Jeffery looked over his shoulder to see Erin still in bed holding him and playing with the tip of his tail. "Where do you think you're going buster?" Erin asked playfully. "Well I thought that I ought to shower before going to work. Why, do you feel like joining me?" Jeffery replied in the same tone. Erin was out of the bed in a flash arms wrapped around Jeffery as if he was pulling her from the ocean in a rescue. "I thought you'd never ask." She said kissing him on the neck. Jeffery and Erin made their way to the bathroom where Jeffery turned on the water for the shower and then got back to kissing Erin as the water warmed. The two took their time in the shower going over each other in great detail paying special attention to certain area's several times. The two finally decided that they couldn't spend anymore time stalling so Erin turned off the water and stepped from the shower. Jeffery paused for a moment before leaving the shower, just looking and admiring Erin's shape, she was so beautiful to him. Erin caught him admiring her and threw a towel at him hitting him squarely in the face, "Nice catch." She giggled as she began to dry herself off. Jeffery stepped from the shower and started toweling off as well, "That is a view I would like to see a lot more of." He said as he rubbed his arms dry. At that comment Erin turned to face him, a serious look in her eyes. Jeffery stopped his toweling and gazed back at her a little puzzled from her sudden change in attitude. Erin looked down for a moment as if trying to figure out what to do next. Then her eyes shot up locking with his, "Jeffery, I don't quite know how to say this, but I want to be like you." Erin said almost stumbling over the words. Jeffery smiled, "What do you mean, you are like me. We are the same in all the ways that count." Jeffery's smile faded when Erin's expression remained unchanged. "Not like that, I mean as part of this," Erin paused trying to think of the correct word, "Family." Jeffery's smile returned a little wider this time, "You mean you want to be part of the ASL." Erin nodded her head in response. Jeffery couldn't suppress a tear he hadn't thought he meant that much to her. "Well," Jeffery said finally giving Erin a big hug at the same time, "We get back to headquarters late tonight so you can put it to the High Council then." Erin sniffled slightly overcome by emotion, "do you think that they will accept me?" she questioned. Jeffery held her close and run his hands through the fur of her back, "If Jonathon's thoughts about you are anything to go by they will." "Really?" "Yes really." Jeffery said before resuming drying himself off. Jeffery finished drying himself and took to brushing the tangles from his fur, Erin did the same taking extra care to remove the knots from her head fur and tail. Jeffery finished his brushing and proceeded to get dressed for his final duty shift of the trip. He was just finishing lacing up his boots when Erin emerged from the bathroom to dress for the day herself. Jeffery rose from the bed and grabbed Erin by the shoulder spinning her towards him. He kissed her softly on the cheek, "I'll be back before two." Jeffery whispered in her ear. Erin gave him a tight squeeze before he walked to the door and left her alone to her thoughts. Jeffery hurried down the hallway towards the maintenance hanger, stopping only to swipe his access card at the security door. Jeffery entered the maintenance hanger and took a data pad held out to him by a lieutenant who was walking the other way. "All right gentlemen, so what have we found." Jeffery said loud enough to be heard over the work going on in the hanger. One of the officers working on the damaged AR-9 fighter came over and saluted Jeffery. Jeffery returned the gesture before the man started to speak, "Sir we finished work on the ships sensor grid and found that the sensors for the aft port quarter of the ship were misaligned." The lieutenant said. "And you think that is what was responsible for the accident here?" Jeffery questioned. "Yes sir, that is our finding. We also suspect that it was the major factor in the accident, which resulted in the loss of Echo one two and a half months ago. An incident that nearly claimed the life of Captain Ford sir." "Can you prove that this is the cause of the impact and not just the result of it." Jeffery queried looking deeply into the lieutenant's eyes. The young lieutenant was somewhat unnerved by Jeffery's gaze but he held his ground and continued, "Well sir, the ships Flight Command System reported that all sensor readings where normal both prior to and following the impact, however a manual test reveled that three of the five sensors for the area where wrongly aligned resulting in a hole approximately six meters across. We realigned the sensors and subsequent test reveled no gap in the net. Due to the fact that Echo one was completely destroyed by a post impact explosion we don't know if the same problem caused that accident." Jeffery nodded his head satisfied with the young mans answers. " Good work lieutenant, now what is your recommendation to prevent this from happening again?" "Sir it is our recommendation that all AR-9 fighters be withdrawn from service until each one has its sensors checked and adjusted." The engineer said confidently. Jeffery nodded his head again, "Alright. See to it that all of Echo squadron reports to you for the necessary work before being sent out on further patrol duties. Also run a diagnostic of the ships FCS to find out why it didn't pick up the sensor problem. Get your report to me within the next two hours." The lieutenant bowed his head slightly, "Yes sir, my team will get right on it." "Good, see you in two hours." With that final comment Jeffery left the hanger for his office to work on his report. Erin had finished dressing and left her quarters for a stroll around the base, as she wandered the twisting halls of the base she found herself at a junction in two corridors. On an overhead sign she read Comm. Center with an arrow pointing left and Approach Control with an arrow pointing right. Just below the words of Comm. Center was a set of smaller letters, Erin squinted slightly to read them properly, they read "Base Atrium". That did it Erin turned left and headed down the hallway. After a few hundred yards she came to a large door that almost looked to be armored, and in fact it was, but in the center of the door at eye level was a small brass plaque with the word "Atrium" engraved on it. Erin pressed the button to the left of the door, but instead of opening a command popped up on a view screen that had been inlaid into the door. The screen said, "Please step back." Erin looked at the screen puzzled as to why she hadn't noticed before. The text on the screen blinked to catch her attention, this time Erin did as the screen asked and took a step back. The text on the screen changed to "Thank you", then flashed "Please stand still for a moment." Erin stood with her hands at her sides of a second then a second line of text appeared which read "Scanning" and it started flashing. As it did so a green bar of light started to move up Erin's legs. It tingled slightly but Erin didn't mind, she just sighed as the beam progressed vertically up her. The beam reached the top of Erin's head then turned sideways and passed from left to right across her before disappearing. The text on the screen changed again, this time reading "Scan complete, Thank you." Erin grinned slightly, "At least the computer is well mannered." She thought to herself. As she was thinking the text disappeared for the screen and the screen itself seemed to merge back into the door. The door beeped then slid open silently. Erin walked inside and nearly fell over from shock. She stood in the entrance of a massive dome constructed of large Plexiglas triangles supported by a frame made of a metal that seemed to be luminescent. Underfoot the cold concrete of the hall outside gave way to a warm polished granite pathway leading inside before splitting around a dark stone monolith. The sound of water cascading down a waterfall somewhere down the path mixed the gentleness of a stony brook closer up. Erin walked down the path a few steps before hearing the door slide closed behind her. On a screen in the bases main Comm. center a message flashed, drawing the attention of the operator. The message read, "Garden accessed at two zero, zero, zero hours. No weapons present." As Erin approached the large black rock that stood to divide the path a large old looking brass plaque drew her eye. The plaque read, "This Stone was placed here in loving memory of those who gave their lives in the line of duty to defend others. May this stone and the garden in which it rests stand for all time that all who stop here under this luminous dome will remember the sacrifices made by those few. To fallen comrades and friends forever missed, never forgotten." Under the inscription was a list of fifteen names all save two ending in the letters D.K. Erin couldn't help but shed a tear as she read the inscription on the plaque. She took her time wandering down the winding path through the garden admiring the wide variety of plants many of which she had seen on the island where ASL headquarters stood. All around her butterflies of all shapes, colors and sizes floated gracefully amongst the plants and trees. Erin finally reached the waterfall that had drawn her back here, setup against the wall of the structure it seemed to meld with the mountains in the background. The cool stream of water flowing over the rock face in an unending stream, driven by some unseen and unheard pump, loud as it was it quieted the sole of those who sat near it. Erin lost all track of time sitting there looking into the water as it cascaded down into a pool below the path, she didn't hear the footsteps behind her. Nor did she notice when Jeffery sat down beside her. For a moment they both sat there silent gazing into the waterfall, then Jeffery broke the sound of the water. "The security officer at the communication center told me I'd find you here. It's the one place in the entire base that the PA doesn't run to." Erin turned to him throwing her arms around him as if it were that first night they met and he was saving her all over again. Jeffery had finished his work on the accident report over an hour ago by this point. The reason the AR-9's FCS hadn't picked up the sensor problem was a simple computer code error. The problem would be easily rectified with a data upload as the fighters had their sensors realigned. Jeffery had returned to his quarters expecting to find Erin there ready to leave back to headquarters. Instead he found the quarters empty except for Erin's packed bag ready to go sitting on the bed. Jeffery had spent the last three quarters of an hour trying to reach her over the base PA system to no avail. In the end out of pure desperation he spoke to the base security officer on duty looking for any unusual activity. It was only then that he learned where he might find her. Jeffery had rushed back to his quarters to drop off his uniform sword, as no weapons where permitted in the remembrance garden. "Come, it's getting late and we should be heading back." Jeffery said rising to his feet. He reached out a hand and pulled Erin up beside him, together they walked back through the garden. A short time later Jeffery and Erin stood in the transport center of base one, Jeffery gave the instructions to the transport operator then he and Erin stepped up onto the pad for the short jump home. In a second they where standing on the pad of the transport center of ASL headquarters, greeted by the familiar friendly face of Lieutenant Carman. "I hope the two of you had an enjoyable trip." Carman said by way of greeting them. Erin beamed a friendly yet toothy smile back at him, "We had a lovely trip, thank you Lieutenant." Carman bowed his head slightly, "Glad to hear it and good to have you home safe. And just call me Carman, Ms. Prior." Erin laughed and Jeffery smiled, "Alright then Carman it is." Erin and Jeffery left the transport center headed back to Jeffery's and soon to be both their quarters. The two spent the rest of that night wrapped up in bed just enjoying the fact that they had each other to hold on to. A voice on the speakers of the video comm. system broke the silence of the early morning, "Attention, all personnel ten minutes to sunrise." Jeffery and Erin woke at the announcement looking into each other's eyes, "Good morning." Jeffery said softly. Erin smiled, "Good morning." She replied. "You know we should probably get up now." Jeffery said with a wan smile. With that Jeffery and Erin removed themselves from the bed with a myriad of stretches and yawns. Jeffery made his way to his study and returned a few seconds later with a pair of steaming cups of coffee. Erin eagerly accepted the mug taking a deep breath, drinking in the rich aroma even more potent than normal to her sensitive nose. The pair relaxed as they sipped at their cups, for shortly the sun would rise and the moon would set beginning a new cycle of activity. The two lovers just had time to finish their drinks before the last rays of the full moon vanished from the horizon heralding the onset of the change. In moments both Jeffery and Erin were squirming on the floor as the fur that covered them retreated once more beneath their skin and the muscles and bones began to reshape themselves. Their tails shrank into their lower backs. The change took only a few minutes to run its course, and soon it had finished. Jeffery got unsteadily to his feet before helping Erin to hers, the two embraced in a warm hug feeling the smooth texture of the others skin for only the second time since they had met. Jeffery looked down into Erin's eyes each a pool of blue that would rival the depth of the ocean and with the clarity of fine crystal they were truly entrancing. Jeffery kissed her gently on the cheek, "I think we could do with a shower." He whispered to her ear. Erin smiled hugging him even tighter before relaxing as they walked to the bathroom. In the bathroom Erin turned on the water for the shower, Jeffery moved in behind her running his hands through her beautiful long dark hair. Soon the water was hot and they two jumped into the shower. Jeffery and Erin took their time in the shower letting the soothing warm water wash the last hints of strain from the muscles of their bodies. The couple worked over each other carefully as not to miss taking in every curve and contour of the other. When they had finished washing each other down Jeffery turned off the water and pulled a pair of towels from the nearby rack. Jeffery and Erin stepped from the shower still dripping water, toweling off Jeffery looked at Erin, her supple shape was basically his idea of perfection. Only possibly bettered by her werewolf self. Jeffery finished drying himself and kissed Erin softly before returning to the bedroom for his uniform. Erin followed him until she hit the bathroom door, "Where are you off to?" she questioned. "I have some paper work to finish off for my assignment, but I'll be back inside of an hour to take out for breakfast." Jeffery responded as he began tucking in his shirt. "Well alright then, but hurry your tail," Erin paused for a second, "butt back here I'm getting hungry." Jeffery laughed tying the last knot in his bootlaces before standing up. He kissed Erin lightly on the lips before leaving. Jeffery walked a little quicker than normal to his office near the main council meeting room. Jeffery logged his computer onto the base network and accessed his report for the Echo Seven accident investigation it only took him a few minutes to put the final touches on the report and submit the file to be processed. Jeffery had a second reason for coming to his office that morning, the schedule for his shift that day was posted on his computer and that morning at eleven the High Council was meeting at the base. Jeffery opened the file for the meeting and reviewed the topics that where up for discussion. He clicked on the add item icon and a text box appeared in the center of the screen, Jeffery typed in the new data and clicked submit. On the bottom of the list a new item appeared, the item was titled "New Star". Under the details window for the item a brief description was provided, "Addition to the ASL's active officer list of Miss. Erin Prior." Submitted by Lt. Commander Jeffery Tunstan. Jeffery smiled, Erin would get her wish. Jeffery logged off the network and left his office, he was about halfway back to his quarters when Jonathon fell in step beside him, "So I take it you had a good time at base one then?" Jonathon said a grin spread over his face. "Yes, we did. But why do you ask?" Jeffery looked across at him not missing a step. Jonathon held up a data pad showing the amended topics for the council meeting later that morning. Jeffery stopped and turned to face Jonathon. "Do you honestly think she's ready?" Jonathon said looking deeply into Jeffery's eyes. "Yes sir, I do think she is ready to be a part of this family." Jonathon nodded his head gravely, "I thought you might and I agree with you. I think she can handle it. Alex fells the same way so this meeting is only a formality. Just don't let her know that until she meets the council. Ok?" "Yes sir." Jeffery said a smile erupting across his face. "Good. Now go take that young lady of yours out for breakfast." Jonathon said tapping Jeffery on the shoulder before turning and walking away. Jeffery hurried the rest of the way back to his quarters, he opened the door and walked inside. Erin was sitting in a chair by the bed brushing the last few tangles out of her hair. She turned to face Jeffery as he walked in. "Ready to go?" Jeffery asked kissing her on the neck. "Absolutely, I'm starving. So where are we going?" Erin replied. "I thought we would have breakfast with a view of the ocean." Jeffery said smiling "You mean from up in the lookout tower." "No I thought we'd get a little closer." "Really and where's that." Erin replied. "It's a little place that I go sometimes when I want to get away from everything. It has a great view and is quite peaceful." Jeffery said his eyes looking past Erin to someplace else. Erin snapped her fingers bringing him back to reality again. Jeffery picked up his cap off the end of the bed and took Erin by the arm. Together they left the room and headed out for breakfast. They stopped at an elevator just off on of the main corridors of the base and Jeffery pressed the down button on the side of the door. The elevator arrived and the couple got on. Once inside Jeffery pressed the button labeled SBL 2 for sub-level two. The elevator started down and continued for fifteen or twenty seconds before sliding to a halt with a slight jarring. The doors slid open to reveal an older looking corridor heading of in three directions from that point. Jeffery stepped off the elevator and held out his hand to Erin, who hesitated slightly before getting off herself. As she and Jeffery made their way down the hall Jeffery explained that this was an older section of the base that now mainly housed equipment and thing like that. But at one point it had been one of the bases main levels. Jeffery stopped abruptly at a door on the left of the hall, "Here we are." He said softly as if anyone else but Erin was around to hear him. Erin looked at the door in puzzlement for a second then she noticed a black plaque just to the left of the door right at eye level. The plaque was coated with dust so she couldn't make out the name, Erin reached up and wiped the dust from the plate. The pate read, "Lt. Tunstan J." Erin looked at Jeffery and he nodded, "This was my old office," Jeffery said smiling, "And the reason that I still come down here is." Jeffery opened the door ushering Erin inside before following her in and closing the door behind them. The room was incredibly well kept, furniture dusted floor very clean and a table with two chairs graced the center of the room. "The view from here is spectacular." Jeffery finished. As he did so he pushed a button on a wall mounted panel and a pair of doors slid apart revealing what Erin had thought but not expected. They where about fifty feet below the surface of the ocean, below them the bottom stretched away into the distance fish of all colors and varieties swam amongst the coral and seaweed. Light from the sun flooded into the room, made to dance and play by the action of the waves above. Erin couldn't think of a better spot to share a quiet meal with her love than this. Jeffery was soon setting down a plate of food for each of them as Erin recovered from yet another shock to her system. The pair sat down to enjoy their meal in front of what could be considered the largest aquarium in the world. A large shark swam past the window drawing Erin's attention away from her food as she watched the predator slid silently past. After Jeffery and Erin had finished breakfast the ride back up to the main level of the island was all but silent, mainly due to the fact that it's hard to say much with one's lips pressed against those of the one you love. The elevator slid to halt and the doors opened, Jeffery and Erin exited the elevator the couple walked home. Jeffery looked at his watch after the door to their quarters had closed behind the pair, nine fifty, his shift would start in ten minutes. Jeffery gave Erin a quick hug from behind, and then leaned down to kiss her neck. "I have to go to work, I want you to meet me at my office at twelve thirty. There are some people I want you to meet, ok." Jeffery whispered in her ear. Erin looked up over her shoulder at him from where she sat with a smile spread across here face, "Ok then, see you at twelve thirty then." She said. Jeffery left Erin in their quarters and headed for his office hoping that the time until the council meeting would pass quickly. Unfortunately this was not to be as time ticked past Jeffery found the he completed all of the work he needed to do before the time of the meeting in half the time it normally took him. The apparent slowness with which the hands of the clock in his office seemed to move nearly drove him mad. "Alright Jeff," he said to himself, "just keep your mind on your work and get a head start on this afternoons documents." Jeffery took a deep breath and let it out very slowly through his nose before he started to attack the mass of reports and files on his computer. Jeffery worked steadily until an alarm from his computer forced him to pause, it was the reminder he had set to warn him five minutes before the meeting would start. "Well that was fast." Jeffery thought to himself not realizing so much time had passed. Jeffery got up from his desk and walked over to a door set off to one side of his office, this door was different than the other doors found throughout most of the base. It was a normal door made of solid polished hardwood giving it a sort of old-world feel. Jeffery opened the door and stepped through into a large room, its ceiling visible only by the lights which hung from it. Set on a raised platform about four feet out from one wall was a long bench similar to those found in a courthouse, behind the bench where seven chairs most of which where occupied by this time. Jeffery walked around to the right of the bench and mounted the few steps up to the seating area. The other occupants smiled and nodded to him, a gesture, which he returned to each. He moved to the first seat left of center, this was his position. Jonathon and Alex tapped him on the shoulder as he passed each, Alex was chairman of the High Council and Jonathon had moved to second seat on his immediate right. Jeffery held third position on the council sitting on Alex's immediate left, this appointment which had brought some comment from other members of the council early on had since proved to be well founded as Jeffery proved himself more than up to the challenge. When all the members where present and seated the meeting began. Alex rose from his chair and cleared his throat, "It's Good to see everyone here again," he began, "It has been some time since our last meeting at which Captain Ford stepped down as chairman and voted me to this position. I hope I don't let him or anyone else down. Now lets get started." Alex read off the first item to be presented before returning to his seat. The meeting progressed quickly and just before twelve o'clock Alex stood again, "Well then people it looks as if we are down to our last item on the agenda for today," He looked down at Jeffery sitting in his chair waiting, "Lt. Commander Tunstan has put forward the item "New Star" and we all know what that means. And most of us know whom this item refers to. For those few who do not know however, Commander would you tell us." Alex returned to his seat as Jeffery rose from his. "Thank you sir, "New Star" is a request to add a name to our family, that name belongs to Erin Prior. Erin is a young lady I met on a recent mission, in fact she was the object of the mission. She had been attacked by a werewolf just before dawn of the previous full moon and as a result the last three nights where her first as a werewolf. On that first night, the night we meet she had been caught out in the open when the change affected her. A group of normal humans took offence to her and pursued her through the streets finally trapping her in an alley near the edge of town. She hid from them but had no escape. Commander Gerlton and I where sent in to resolve the situation and bring her to safety." Jeffery was cut off by a comment from along the row, "Well it would appear that you succeeded." Jeffery nodded his head at the comment, "Yes indeed we did, Commander Shasta. Anyway in the time that has past, short as it may be I have developed quiet strong feelings for her and she for me. She has also spoken to a number of officers both here and at base one. After hearing what they had to say she voiced her request to me to become a part of us. It is this request which I bring before you." Jeffery returned to his seat as comments began to circulate around the room. Alex after a short period to allow all to be heard rose from his seat. He remaining chatter stopped and all of the council turned to see him. "Well comrades, young Commander Tunstan has made his feelings known to all of us and it is time that we decide this matter. Will all those in favor raise their hands." All the members of the council save one raised their hand in approval. Commander Shasta instead rose and turned to face Jeffery. "Are you certain that both you and she are ready for this Jeffery?" He asked. Jeffery rose at the question and turned to face the Commander, "Yes sir I am certain, in fact it is my feeling that if the council should have turned down this request I was willing to not only step down from the council but resign completely from the ASL." Jeffery said with conviction and a note of contempt that his judgment was so blatantly called to question. Shasta nodded his head, "I meant not to offend you Jeffery, and I thought you would say as much but I had to be sure. My best to the both of you." With that Shasta retook his seat and raised his hand. "Very well than," Alex said lowering his hand, "The vote of the Council is final, the request is approved. Let Erin's name be added to those of our family and let a place for our new star be made next to yours Jeffery." Jeffery looked at his watch as Alex sat down again twelve twenty-five, Erin would be at his office any minute. Alex turned to Jeffery, " Get Erin so she can meet the council and see her star added." Jeffery nodded and rose from his seat. He made his way out along the row and off the platform to the door for his office. Jeffery pulled the door to his office closed behind him and walked to his desk, he was just about to sit down when the doorbell from his front door chimed. "Come in." Jeffery piped. The door slid open and Erin walked in, the uniform she wore fit her perfectly and her hair swayed gracefully as she moved. Jeffery met her halfway through his office with a warm embrace and a deep kiss. "The High Council is waiting to see you." Jeffery said breaking the kiss. Erin looked into his eyes to try and pick up weather or not this was a good thing, but his eyes held no clue just the love that he felt for her. Jeffery took her hand intertwining his fingers with hers as they moved towards the door to the council room. Jeffery opened the door and ushered Erin through in front of him. As they approached the bench all the members of the High Council rose in greeting. Jeffery and Erin stopped in front of the council members and waited. All the members returned to their seats except for Alex who remained standing. "Erin Prior," Alex began in a very serious tone, "It has been brought to the attention of this Council that you wished to join the ASL "family" as you put it. Is this correct?" "Yes it is." Erin replied doing her best to sound brave. "Good, because it is the decision of the council that you are welcomed into our family. And I don't think that I've ever found a word that describes it better. I want you to look around on the walls of this room." As Alex spoke the wall lights increased in their intensity shedding light on what was previously in shadow. All around the walls of the room in band half way up the wall was a set of stars. Most of the star where gold and shined in the light casting their reflections around the room, interspersed among these where stars of bright silver that shone nearly as bright. Finally every now and then there was a black star, these stars seemed to reflect no light but where still as defined as the rest. Jonathon rose from his seat behind the bench, "Erin each one of these stars is someone in the ASL and the color of each gives their status. The gold stars represent all of those people who are on active duty in the family. The stars that are silver represent those who have left the ASL, these people all had their reasons for leaving but in this family just because they are not here doesn't mean that we stop caring about them. They know that no matter where they go they are never alone, that if they are in trouble they can always turn to us for help. The black stars," Jonathon paused for a moment gathering his thoughts, "the black stars are those who are no longer with us. It is for those fifteen black stars that we maintain the garden at base one, those are the ones we will always remember. Erin look behind you, do you see the star there which has an empty space next to it?" Erin turned around and scanned the wall until she located the star Jonathon was referring to. "Yes I see it." She replied. "That star is the man standing next to you Lt Commander Jeffery Tunstan, and that space beside his star is yours." As Jonathon spoke a bright gold new star shimmered into existence next to Jeffery's. Jeffery hugged Erin tightly so happy that they where together both now and always joined by those stars. "You and he are now joined to us for all time. Erin step forward please we are not done yet. It is tradition in the ASL that when someone new joins are family three things happen. The first of which you have just seen, a new star is added. The second is the presentation of this name badge." Jonathon Leaned forward over the bench and handed Erin a gold name badge with Erin Prior engraved ornately onto the face. Erin accepted the gift with a smile and immediately pinned it to her shirt. "And the last is this," Jonathon held out a watch similar to the one the other council members wore. Erin took the watch from him and examined it closely as Jonathon continued, "This watch not only keeps perfect time but it connects you with the ASL at all times. It is a communications device as well, it links you to the communications network of the ASL allowing you to contact us from anywhere on or off the planet. It also gives off a signal that our transport system picks up so we can get you from or send you to virtually anywhere. Now you are truly on of this family and we wish both you and Jeffery all the best." Jeffery and Erin left the council room the way they had entered, together, both now and always that is how they would remain. Erin was the newest member of this large family, a place where she would always be safe and always be loved for who she was. And she would remain the youngest member of the family until the next time "New Star" appeared on a council meeting agenda. End Transmission...